“I encourage you to take some time and make amends with family and friends, tell someone you love them, smile a little more, laugh out loud, give your heart to those that deserve it because NOTHING is promised but death. That’s it.”

It’s a touching message to the world from former NBA star Lamar Odom as he mourns the death of his father, Joe Odom, who recently passed away.

Acknowledging that he often clashed with his father, who died on April 20, the younger Odom said love always brought their relationship back to a good place.

A part of the lifecycle that will never cease to be, parents and their children will at some point have disagreements but, at the end of the day, it is love that makes any relationship whole again.

While the retired basketballer announced his father’s passing days ago, he took to Instagram on Monday (May 3) to thank everyone who sent condolences.

In the lengthy, emotion-filled caption, he expressed gratitude to individuals who reached out to him.

“Thank you to everyone who extended love and prayers to me during my time of bereavement, I appreciate every single one of you for sending me good energy,” said the two-time NBA champion who played alongside Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bryant and his daughter, Gigi, along with seven others, died in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020 – yet another reminder of the value of Lamar Odom’s message.

“Life is not promised. My pops and I had our differences but at the end of the day I knew he loved me and I loved him and that’s really all that matters.”

According to online tabloid, TMZ, the father and son had a rocky relationship for years.

Reportedly, in 2013, the basketball player stopped paying his dad’s rent when the elder Odom publicly criticised the Kardashian family.

Lamar Odom was at the time involved with Khloe Kardashian.

Despite their falling out, the father-son duo made efforts to make amends.

At one of their worst points, when the younger Odom was rushed to hospital after a drug overdose in 2015, Khloe Kardashian  blocked his father from visiting him.

Now, years after having to deal with the end of his relationship with Khloe, Lamar must struggle to come to terms with the loss of Joe.